BB commission OKs pier ordinance

The Historic Bridge Street Pier as seen from the recently rebuilt dinghy dock owned by the city. Islander Photo: Lisa Neff

The city commission June 4 approved an ordinance containing a long no-no list for people using the Historic Bridge Street Pier.

The unanimous vote took place during a meeting at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach.

The pier ordinance states:

• No swimming or diving.

• No operation of autos, scooters, motorcycles or bicycles.

• No carrying or discharging of firearms, firecrackers, torpedoes, rockets or other explosives.

• No domestic animals, with an exemption for the use or training of a service animal.

• No igniting gasoline, kerosene, charcoal, wood.

• No dumping or littering.

• No cast-netting.

• No manual bleeding of fish.

• No loitering, sleeping or “protractedly lounging on the seats.”

• No indulging in riotous conduct or abusive language.

• No selling of merchandise without the consent of the city commission.

• No soliciting for any trade without the consent of the city commission.

The ordinance also requires adult to accompany children under age 15 years old from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Additionally, the ordinance prohibits sailors in the mooring field from using the pier’s floating day dock to tie up their dinghies. Instead, mooring field boaters are to use the recently repaired dinghy dock.

Violators could face up to a $500 fine and 30 days in jail.

In other business, commissioners:

• Approved a special event application for Snowbirds Arts and Crafts shows at Coquina Beach next year, but denied a request for show signs in the right of way.

• Approved payment of an invoice for $3,311.50 from attorney Greg Hootman for work on a board of adjustment case.

• Approved a special event application for the Bridge Street Market in July.

• Approved replacing a 1995 Chevy F150 truck used by code enforcement officers with a 2004 Chevy 1500 to be purchased from Manatee County for $3,000.

“The one that we’ve got is falling apart,” Pierce said.

• Approved the installation of a new bell-striker system in the clock tower on the city pier. The system, which is digitally-based allowing for automatic presets, will cost $1,980.

“This is an automated one,” Pierce said. “So we won’t have to work on it so much.… It’s going to be a time-saver.”

“This clock is a symbol of Bradenton Beach,” added Commissioner John Shaughnessy.

• Agreed to hold a workshop on preservation and conservation land-use categories. The Florida Department of Community Affairs has indicated a concern with the preservation land-use category in a proposed comprehensive plan amendment under review. Commissioners said they wanted to take another review of options before the DCA makes a final decision on comp-plan amendments based on the evaluation and appraisal report.

• Heard from a citizen concerned about property maintenance, especially yards, in foreclosure.